Variable sound device



April 18, 1950 R R RUNDELL 2,504,457

VARIABLE SOUND DEVICE Filed Sept. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9' R.R.RZMJ@ZZ April 18, 1950 R RUNDELL 2,504,457

VARIABLE SOUND DEVICE Filed Sept. 17, 1945 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 F g I 4 7 7/ 3mm RZRfiunieZZ Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to sound producing devices which can be used as an article of amusement, a sounding toy, or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a sound producing device which includes a plurality of bells or like elements capable of emitting sound under percussion, the device embodying a tortuous passage over which a ball or a series of balls are adapted to move.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sound producing device wherein the percussion elements gravitate from an uppermost to a lowermost position and progressively contact the bells or sound emitting members, the device also ineluding means whereby the percussion elements may be returned from a lowermost to an uppermost position.

With the foregoing objects in view, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention, as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a variable sound producing device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the baflle or divider plate between pairs of the bells,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical exploded section showing the manner of assembling the bells and the other elements connected therewith.

Referring now to the drawings the numeral 56 designates a housing of substantially frusto-conical configuration which has secured to the axial center thereof an upright post 57. The post 5! extends through an arcuate guide member 58 which is secured to the upper ends of a pair of upwardly extending or upwardly convergent supporting bars 59 and 60. A plurality of bells or sound members 6| are disposed in vertical spaced apart relation about the rod 51, and are held in vertical spaced apart relation by means of tubular members 62. The tubular members 62, as shown in Figure 12, are formed in two parts, one

part 63 being provided with upwardly directed V-shaped teeth 64 and a square lower end 65 whereas the other part 65 of each tubular member is formed with downwardly directed V-shaped teeth 61 and a squared upper end 68. A bafile member or plate 69 is disposed between the squared ends of the tubular members 63 and 66, having a downwardly offset outer portion 10 which is formed with arcuate slots II, and also with downwardly directed lugs 12.

The inner side of the bar 59 is formed with a plurality of substantially v-shaped lugs 13 having a substantially horizontal lower side 14 and a downwardly and inwardly directed upper side '15 for directing a ball or percussion member 76 against an adjacent bell 6|.

In order to provide a means whereby the balls will be guided downwardly in the tortuous path formed by the lugs 13 I have provided a pair of side plates Tl which are secured by fastening mem-' bers 18 to the bar 59. The plates 11 are formed with inwardly extending V-shaped lugs 19 having a horizontally upper side 80 engaging in spaced relation beneath the lower horizontal side of a bell, and is also formed with a downwardly and outwardly directed side 8| whereby the ball rolling over the convex surface of a bell will be pre-" vented from rolling off of the bell and out into the open. I

The bottom member 82 is secured interiorly of the base 56 and is provided with a downwardly directed trough 83 for directing the ball 76 toward a return tube 84 secured by clamps 85 to the bar 50.

The return tube 84 is formed with a lower intake opening 86 through which the ball is adapted to pass in order that the ball will engage on the upper end of a plunger 81 which is slidable in the lower end of the guide or return tube 84.

A resilient plunger operating member 88 engages beneath the plunger 87 and is secured to a. central post 89 carried by the bottom member 82, by fastening members 90.

In order to provide for symmetry of the device when viewing the device in side elevation, I have provided a pair of side plates 9! which are secured to the bar 60 on opposite sides of the return tube 84. The plates 9! are formed with inwardly directed V-shaped lugs 92 similar to the lugs 19.

In the use and operation of this device the ball may be elevated into the upper arcuate guide 58 by depressing the lever 88 and suddenly releasing this lever so that the plunger 87 will be forced upwardly and the ball engaging on the 3 upper end of this plunger will be shot upwardly through the tube 84.

The ball will then move through the upper guide 58 in the direction of the side bar 59 and upon striking the uppermost lug 73 will roll off from this lug onto the uppermost bell Bi and will thereupon strike the succeeding lugs 13, and the adjacent bells 6 l.

The bafile member 69 prevents ball from rolling up inside bell then around the outside of device if the device is turned bottom end up or at an angle to the vertical. Lugs 72 will prevent the ball from wedging between baffle plate and the top side of a bell if device is turned bottom end up or at an angle to the vertical. These two features plus plates 9| insures the ball remaining in the device no matter what position it is held in.

In the specification and the claims it will be understood that the term ball shall include a the bells or gongs may be of desired pitch so as to provide a pleasing sound which will vary from the higher pitched upper bell or gong to the lowermost lower pitched bell.

What I claim is:

l. A sound device comprising a base, a pair of upwardly convergent members carried by said base, a cap at the upper ends ofsaid members, a centrally disposed post carried by said base, a. plurality of sound elements on said post, means supporting said elements in spaced relation, a pair of notched plates secured to the opposite sides of each member and forming a pair of inwardly facing channels, vertically spaced apart bafile lugs carried by the inner side of one 01' said members, each lug having a downwardly and inwardly inclined upper side for guiding a percussion element inwardly toward a sound element, a return tube for the percussion element carried by the inner side of the other of said members and discharging at its. upper end. into said cap, said sound elements projecting laterally from said members, and means for elevating said percussion element in said tube.

2. A sound device comprising a base, a pair of upstanding members carried by said base, a cap at the upper ends of said members, a vertical post extending from said base to said cap, a plurality of vertically spaced apart sound elements carried by said post, a pair of notched plates on opposite sides of each member to provide a pair of inwardly facing channels, inwardly extending lugs having downwardly inclined surfaces thereon formed on one of said members for guiding a percussion element inwardly toward a sound element, a return tube for the percussion eler ment carried by the other or said members and discharging at its upper end into said cap, and means for elevating said percussion element in said tube.

3. A sound device comprising a base, a pair of upwardly convergent inwardly opening channel members carried by said base, a cap mounted on the upper ends by said channel members, a centrally disposed post carried by said base, a plurality of spaced apart disc-shaped downwardly concaved sound elements secured on said post,

notches formed in the edges of the side flanges of said channel members adapted to receive peripheral portions of said elements therein, one of said channel members having a plurality of spaced inwardly extending downwardly inclined lugs formed on the web thereof and adapted to project a percussion element inwardly toward a sound element, a return tube for the percussion element disposed within the other of said channel members and discharging at its upper end into said cap, and means for elevating said percussion element in said return tube.

RAYMOND R. RUNDELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,099,507 Marshall June 9, 1914 1,495,645 Pucek Mar. 24, 1924 2,102,807 Perks Dec. 21, 1937 2,254,488 Miller Sept. 2, 1941 2,397,794 Lee Apr. 2, 1946 

